An Empirical Analysis of the Relationship Between Religious Participation and Psychological Wellbeing Among Christians in North Central Nigeria

The relationship between religious participation and psychological wellbeing has been extensively studied globally, but empirical evidence specific to the North Central Nigerian context, where religious practice intersects with ethno-religious conflict stress, remains limited. This study empirically analyses the relationship between Christian religious participation and psychological wellbeing outcomes among church members in Plateau, Niger, and Kogi States. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, with questionnaires administered to 450 adult Christians from fifteen churches across the three states. Religious participation was measured through frequency of church attendance, prayer engagement, Bible reading, and fellowship involvement. Psychological wellbeing was assessed using the Ryff Scales of Psychological Wellbeing adapted for the Nigerian context, covering dimensions of purpose in life, personal growth, positive relationships, environmental mastery, autonomy, and self-acceptance. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors. Results indicate that fellowship group participation is the strongest predictor of psychological wellbeing (beta = 0.38, p < 0.001), followed by prayer frequency (beta = 0.31, p < 0.001). Simple church attendance without active involvement shows weak wellbeing associations. The study fills a critical evidence gap in the North Central Nigerian religious wellbeing literature and contributes original data on how specific religious practices produce differential wellbeing outcomes. Recommendations include churches developing intentional fellowship structures as priority wellbeing investments. Keywords: religious participation, psychological wellbeing, North Central Nigeria, empirical analysis, church fellowship